Developers found loophole to bypass approval by Taroona elected members

ABC NEWS (Australia)

The approval of an apartment block development in the Hobart suburb of Taroona has rankled residents who say Kingborough councillors should have had the final say on the project. A calendar quirk gave the developer the option to bypass elected members, but the Kingborough mayor says the process was still robust.

Transcript

00:00This dilapidated former nursing home will become 15 apartments if developer Errol Stewart has his way.

00:10We've had a look at a couple of different options to build higher level buildings,

00:15but we've changed to try to modify most of the buildings that are there and build one new building.

00:22Plans have now been approved, but they took an unusual path through Kingborough Council.

00:27An extra Monday in March meant the council's meeting schedule didn't line up with the time frame for assessment.

00:33In this case the developer didn't want to provide an extension of time

00:37and what that meant was that the decision needed to be made under delegated authority by our CEO.

00:45Deemed compliant with the planning scheme by an external consultant, it was ticked off.

00:50Something the council says is standard process, but which has angered residents.

00:55The community did not get an opportunity to speak to our elected members

01:00and there were 42 representations for this development.

01:03There is significant community concern.

01:05They say process and planning are front of mind for them, not nimbyism.

01:10We feel that there should be some sort of development here that actually allows for low density residential

01:17and that's what it's zoned as.

01:19As with many planning battles, council approval isn't the end of the road.

01:23Residents are now preparing appeals to Tasmania's civil and administrative tribunal.

01:28I think that's fine, we'll go to the tribunal and go through the process and hopefully we get approval.

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